Electric sign.



A. HO'EHL.

` ELECTRIC SIGN. APeLIcATIoN rILBD Nov.z3,1912.

1,077,532. Patented NovY 4, 1913 AUGUST HOEHL, 0F HALEDON, NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented N ov. 4, 1 913.

Application filed November 23, 1912. Serial No` 733.125.

T0 all ytzr/Lam it may concer/1,

Be it known that I, Auots'r Homin, a citi Zen ot'V the United States, residing at llaledon, in the county of Passaic and ycitate 'f New Jersey. have invented certain new and useful improvements in Electric Signs, ol which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in illuminated signs and relates more particularly to ot this nature which are provided with remov able perforated plates through which a light is adapted to shine.

The primary object of the invention ref sides in the provision of a sign of this type, which will be of extremely simple construction` cheap to manufacture, and which shall 'be particularly adapted for use at places of amusement.. .A further and more specific object of the invention resides in the provision of a sign including a frame adapted to removably hold perforated plates, and colored plates, and a novae] forni of sheet-metal box encircling said frame.

'ith there and other objects in view, as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in cer tain novel features ol'l construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding oi my in vention, reference is to be had to the follow ing description and accompanyingdrawings, in which,

`Figure 1 is affront. elevation of my iinpioved sign, Fig. Q is a vertical sectional view through the same, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view showing the sheet-metal box partly broken away, and, Fig. 4 is a` detail view of one of the colored glass plates.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1v

designates transverse bars and i2 designates upright bars, which 1n conpinction with the first mentioned bars, form a frame. These bars are preferably made of hard wood and cross bars l are provided alone* their upper i and lower sides with a plurality ot' longitudinal grooves daotcd to receive and hold suitably perforiited plates 3 and colored glass plates 4. The upright bars 2 are provided with longitudinal slots 2 extending ehtlirelyi therethrough for the purpose ot' ref ceiving the ends of said plates.

As shown 1n Flg. 1, the perforated plates 3 may carry any desired characters and the plates l, which are preferably made of glass, may be colored in any manner desired. In Fig. 4 I have shown one of these plates 4 colored red, white and blue so that the words National Theater will appear in 'three colors. It is to be understood that this is only one of the various ways in which I may have the plates colored.

In order to provide a backing for the hard wood frame, 1 employ a sheetanetal case or box having a concave or convex rear wall 5, a downwardly and rearwardly inclined top wall t3, side walls 7, 7, and a rearwardly and upwardly inclined bottom wall 8. The forward edge of the top wall 6 overlies the uppernnst transverse bar 1 and has its extremity bent upwardly, as indicated at t). The side wall T is bent outwardly, as at 10, forwardlyvas at ll, and then inwardly, as at 12, thus forming a channel for the receptiiln ot the vertical trame bars 2. The side wall T is bent laterally, as at 13, for engagement with the transverse traine bars 1 The bottcm wall of the. casing extends under the lower-most transverwtbar l and is then bent uinvardly. ThisY firm-ture provides a projecting means fer the frame and prevents it becoming worn t'roln contact with its supporting surface. A sheet-metal strip i4 extends transversely of the frame bars 1 and is opposed to the lateral projected portion lil ot' the side wall 7. If desired, an ornamental head piece 15 may be secured to the top ot' the frame. It will be appui-em thatr this`constrncti0n permits ol the ready insertion and removal of the plates Il and 4, and that the portion Vl1 ot the wall 't' limits the movement of said plates in one direc tion. thus making it easy to properly position them within the traine, ftny number ot lights` 16 may be secured to the rear wall 5 ot" the sheet-metal box for the purpose of making the advertising matter carried by the perforated plates l clearly readable at night. In order to adjustably support the sign iu an essentially vertical position, I provide the rear 'ardly projecting apertured arm 1T through which a pointed rod 1S is adapted to slide, said rod being held in any adjusted position by the setV .screw 19.

It is to be understood that while I have shown and describedl the preferred embodiment. of in v invention, I do not. wish to be limited to this exact construction and arrangement of parts, but may make such changes as may fall Within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim iSZ- 1. In a sign of the character described, a pair of longitudinal bars, transverse bars connecting said longitudinal bars, thereby forming a frame, the first mentioned bars being provided with longitudinal slots extending therethrough, the second mentioned bars being provided with longitudinal grooves communicating with said slots, a casing formed from a single piece of material and comprising a rear Wall, top and bottom Walls and side Walls, one of said side Walls being bent laterally, forwardly and inwardly to provide a channel for the reception of one side of said frame, thereby closing the outer sides of the longitudinal slots in said Side, the other side wall being bent laterally for engagement with the frame, the bottom wall being extended along the lowerniost transverse bar and then upwardly, and a plurality of plates adapted to be held Within said slots and grooves.

2. A sign of the character described, coinprising ,a frame having longitudinally grooved transverse bars, a easing supporting said frame, said casing including a rear wall, top and bottom walls, and side walls, one of said sido walls being bent to form a channel for the reception of one side of said frame, the other side wall being bent laterally for engagement with the frame, the bottom Wall of said easing being extended under the frame and then upwardly, and suitable lighting means carried on the inner .Side of the rear Wall of said easing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST HOEHL.

Witnesses Y EMMA l.. VAN lloveNsxzG, Finn, Mmzmzno. 

